Sunday August 13th - Barcelona vs. Real Madrid - Spanish Super Cup

[SirBalon]

45 minutes ago, Savvy Xavi said:

Does anyone know WHY Real Madrid wore the jerseys that they wore against Barcelona today? Haven't they ALWAYS worn their traditional white home jerseys against Barca even during previous Super Cups (the official start of the football season)?

Was it done to fnck with Barca? with the board (whom everyone knows is a joke)? or was it possibly to promote their third jersey on sale at Real Madrid stores? I happen to follow Spanish Super Cups and traditional home jerseys are ALWAYS worn by either side when playing against each other,  regardless of venue.

This Real Madrid is truly formidable. SirBalon is right: they probably won't even miss Ronaldo all that much: have more than enough firepower (though Bale does need to regain his form. He hasn't been playing well lately after his injury).

Look, we all have our personal biases: I reckon there's a significant number of us who hate Neymar with a passion cos of how he conducted himself and engineered the move to PSG but the fact of the matter remains that he DID bring a lot to the table for Barca, even though he misplaced a lot of passes. We won't be able to find a DIRECT replacement for him and his creativity and skills, but we just might be able to find another way to play without him. Let's face it, we've been quite "Neymar-dependent" these past couple to three years, always funneling/channeling attacks through his side of the pitch. A certain period of time of adjusting to his absence is to be expected and taken into consideration.

No, I am not bemoaning the "demise of FC Barcelona", far from it. Maybe the tiki-taka Guardiola era football is what I'm waxing lyrical, poetic and nostalgic about. Think about it: Messi, Pique, Iniesta and Busquets are the only remnants of that greatest football ever played period and most of this quartet is aging fast and that style of football has had to evolve with the times. Teams have learned how to adapt to play against Barca. I don't play football games on consoles etc. but an intriguing matchup would involve this current Zidane's Real Madrid team vs Guardiola Era Barca. 

If you'd say that Guardiola Era Barca would win, without a shadow of a doubt, then I'd urge you to think about it carefully. I say this as a lifelong FC Barcelona fan/supporter. This iteration of the Real Madrid team is one of the best club teams I've ever seen. The only other team that can rival this Zidane team and Guardiola Era Barca is Heynckes' Treble Winning Bayern of 2013. That was a scary team indeed, their nonsensical "goals" vs Barca in the Champions League Semis that season notwithstanding.

Just as other teams have learned to play against tiki-taka Barca, other teams will learn how to play against this version of Real Madrid. Football is a cycle: Madrid are on the ascendancy. But teams will figure them out/their players (like their new # 10 Modric etc.) will get old etc.

Football tacticians out there, how would YOU play against this current Real Madrid team to limit their chances and beat them? How do you stop them from "always getting it done"? Is it luck? Their champions/championship mentality? (once you win and have had a sustained period of success, it becomes HARD to stop winning). Minimize their spaces, their channels obviously, but they are SO GOOD at that revolving midfield passing and movement that they do. Modric, Carvajal and Marcelo are simply SENSATIONAL players with amazing football minds.

Not sure if Valverde's the man for the task, mind. He's just so.........meek and mild. No real passion, character or charisma. And the worst thing about it is the board is just like him.

Guardiola was like Laporta, passionate and charismatic. Fire breathing Catalans.

 

That's a good post but where as what Barcelona were doing some years back, that was a brand of football.  Real Madrid yesterday played deadly counter attacking football and against that unless you sit back (something Barça will never do because they've never done it) you will get done.  It all comes down to effectivity in front of goal at the end of the day and a fast counter move done correctly gives you more options to score because of the spaces and time to think than something that's elaborated and done in small spaces.

[Dalmore]

What a shitty night for Pique. and Deulofeu was a flop. is he supposed to be the one to replace Neymar? If they don't find a decent replacement it might be a very difficult season for them.

[Philippe Coutinho]

1 hour ago, SirBalon said:

That's a good post but where as what Barcelona were doing some years back, that was a brand of football.  Real Madrid yesterday played deadly counter attacking football and against that unless you sit back (something Barça will never do because they've never done it) you will get done.  It all comes down to effectivity in front of goal at the end of the day and a fast counter move done correctly gives you more options to score because of the spaces and time to think than something that's elaborated and done in small spaces.

Totally agree, Sir Balon. I think we can also agree that Real Madrid has ALWAYS been known for their deadly and effective counterattacks. Obviously they've had the QUALITY of players to be able to do so, but they've taken it to a whole another level under Zidane. So the question is HOW were they able to take what was already a counter attacking machine and make it even more efficient and effective? Is it totally the Zidane effect?

Again, I think the quality of players in RM makes all the difference. Great football minds and IQ. Brilliant midfield and wingplay. Even Varane's not a liability 

Also, the "Champions Mentality", as I call it. Once you start winning everything important,  once you reach that level, you have to really fnck up/lose focus/lose drive and passion to stop winning. Champions always find a way to "get it done." They're champions for a reason. The CL is no joke and RM have won 3 of the last 4. It's not as if these are historically bad Barca/Bayern/Juventus etc. teams RM is playing against, either. Personally don't see anyone even remotely capable of preventing them from threepeating this season. Just don't see it happening.

Ideal is an El Clasico Final in Kyiv  Or Barca vs PSG or City  

The one unknown is this season's PSG. We don't know how well the team will gel. Now they have Dani Alves and Neymar. Same Europe conquering coach, now in his 2nd season. No significant departures (Maxwell retired).

I'm also interested to see how this season's City will do under Guardiola's 2nd season. Perhaps a make or break for him? He does seem to want long term tenure at the club.

This video is overly simplistic, of course: this Real Madrid is much more than a counter-attacking machine. Probably the most balanced talented squad with depth aplenty in quite some time.

 

[Cicero]

Barca' s weak links were blatantly visible 

[Storts]

5 hours ago, SirBalon said:

Actually Cristiano Ronaldo could be in serious trouble because the referee has added the fact the player pushed him after being shown the second yellow for diving.  In Spain the referee's report is the most important part in any conceivable punishment.

But it shouldn't hurt Madrid too much though...  The played better without him and the same when he got sent-off.

Yeah - stupid push, very petulant and hope he gets punished for it. Even if the decision to send him off was a joke.

As you say though, can't imagine Madrid suffering much without him, as good as he is, the transition period is definitely under way. Isco is in the form of his life, Asensio is absolutely brilliant and the squad options Zidane has are the best in the world

[Philippe Coutinho]

The ultimate CL Final would be the much awaited for El Clasico one, with Barca trying to prevent Madrid from Threepeating and Madrid fighting to stop a potential Treble Treble!

Cue David Bowie's "Rebel Rebel" aka "Treble Treble" here!! R.I.P.

BTW everyone knows that all other managers are merely stopgaps til Xavi comes home to manage Barca. Cannae wait.

 

[Cicero]

7 minutes ago, Teso dos Bichos said:

cules the worst hypocrites..a few years back "real madrid only talks about  past trophies/history" and now that RM is back at the top, the only thing barcelona brings up is the treble  

Although you shouldn't be calling anyone hypocrites given your reputation, you are right. 

 

Amazing the turn around Real and Barca have undergo.  Real may not be producing talent, but they are buying home grown players and nurturing them, whereas Barca have spent fortunes on players. Bang average players at that. What happened? Did Barca and Real's board of executives just switch? 

[Panflute]

Yeah, the "living in the past" accusation Barcelona fans liked to throw around a few years back has really come back to hit them in the face.

As for Real Madrid being unstoppable... well, no team is, even Barcelona at the height of their success. Real Madrid on a bad night could slip up, as with the home game against Bayern last season.

I don't expect Real Madrid to win the CL this season, but it's going to take something special to take them down. In addition to their 3 recent wins, don't forget that they have made it to the semi-finals 7 seasons in a row (which is a record).

[Stan]

Ronaldo given 5 game ban for pushing the ref last night 

[Cicero]

Deserved. That shite is unacceptable. 

[Panflute]

That referee should get a 60-game ban for being a blind cunt.

[Guest]

20 minutes ago, Teso dos Bichos said:

the clearance effort by busquets "BEST DM by far!!!! barcelona doesnt need two DM like real madrid, we have busquets" busquets deserves half the credit for that own and pique the other half.

I do wonder, do you base your opinions on something you thought, or just to disagree with me and Balon?

I've never seen a bigger hypocrite/contrarian anywhere, and that includes outside the internet.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Teso dos Bichos said:

you can go back and dig previous posts where i said real madrid has the best midfield by far including casemiro and you will also find sirbalon disagreeing with me. 

You're not wrong that Real Madrid has the best midfield, they do. However if they had a midfield of Fellaini, Paulinho and Carlos Sanchez you'd be saying the same thing. 

[Machado]

Isco is in a superior level lately. Didn't see him take a step wrong yesterday. So fun to watch.

[6666]

Ridiculous ban for Ronaldo. Hate things like this in football, they take a nothing situation and treat it as one of the most immoral acts that exist and idiot fans just go along with it while endlessly insulting the referee. 

[Cicero]

Can't lay your hands on a  ref. Simple. 

[Cicero]

2 minutes ago, Teso dos Bichos said:

Spain's national team has some great midfielders. saul, herrera, and isco. along with Asensio, the national team could be more succesful then the team that struggle to score one versus netherlands. 

Asensio maybe, but not one of them will reach the same heights as Xavi and Iniesta. 

[Machado]

I agree with the ban because ignoring what Ronaldo did would set a dangerous precedent.

[Pep Talk]

so what is the ruling if the red card gets rescinded will the 4 games still be for league play or copa? 

[SirBalon]

It's happened before and in every single case the punsihment has been met with anything between 5 and 12 games. Nothing unusual has occurred in the punishment for Cristiano taking it upon himself to push the ref.

[SirBalon]

2 minutes ago, Pep Talk said:

so what is the ruling if the red card gets rescinded will the 4 games still be for league play or copa? 

There was no red card. It was two yellows and none will be rescinded. But in the strange case that the second one is rescinded, his punishment will be the 4 games as one game suspension is for the double yellow and 4 are for the push. 

[Pep Talk]

in the end 4 league games isn't too bad given what the max was.

[RandoEFC+]

Don't care whether it was a dive or not, you don't push the referee, the referee is in charge on the pitch. How anyone can say a ban is wrong is beyond me, I can't think of any other sport where a player could push the referee/umpire and fans would say he shouldn't be banned. If anything five games is lenient. Incidents like this the offender should be absolutely slammed for it to set a precedent. 

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, Teso dos Bichos said:

asensio and saul imo, evertyime i watch him play he continues to impress me. along with Tielemans and Fabinho they are the best young midfielders.

as for reaching the heights of xavi and iniesta, individually no but i think spain can be more successful with the young players that are coming up. 

Why can't you always post like this? This is a decent and respectable opinion. Quit the trolling, make more posts like this and you'd become a good contributor.

[Cicero]

2 minutes ago, LaSambadeStGermain said:

Why can't you always post like this? This is a decent and respectable opinion. Quit the trolling, make more posts like this and you'd become a good contributor.

@Teso dos Bichos

I agree. Great post.